Mixed Radishes and Chickpea Salad With Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Peppery radishes, creamy chickpeas and rich, tangy tahini dressing make a great starter or side salad. (Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seed.) You can prepare the dressing ahead of time, then assemble the salad right before serving. The dressing doubles as a dip for spring vegetables. (This makes a generous 1/2 cup of dressing.) From Beth Dooley.

• 1/4 c. tahini

• 1/4 c. water, or more if needed

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Generous 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

• 1 tsp. honey or to taste

• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 lb. mixed radishes (such as Breakfast, Cherry Belle, Watermelon, Black Spanish); save the greens

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 c. cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed

• 1/4 c. finely chopped radish leaves

• 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Directions

To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, 1/4 cup water and olive oil until smooth. Then whisk in the garlic, lemon juice, honey, cumin, salt and pepper, and adjust the seasonings to taste.

To make the salad: Slice the radishes so that the pieces are similar in size. In a large bowl, toss together the radishes, onion and chickpeas, and arrange on a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Garnish with the chopped radish greens and parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories 170 Fat 9 g Sodium 45 mg

Carbohydrates 19 g Saturated fat 1 g Total sugars 5 g

Protein 6 g Cholesterol 0 mg Dietary fiber 6 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 ½ fat.